JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Eric Burlison, R-Battlefield, presented Senate Concurrent Resolution 25 to the Missouri Senate Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee on Tuesday, March 22. This resolution calls for an Article V convention of the states to impose term limits on members of Congress.
In the early 1990s, several states used the initiative and referendum process to put congressional term limits on the ballot, with a few states approving the term limits. In 1992, Arkansas voters approved terms limits for elected state government officials, as well as term limits for individuals who served Arkansas in Congress. This issue eventually made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and in 1995, the court decided in U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton that the U.S. Constitution prohibits states from imposing congressional term limits.
“There have been attempts by states before to address term limits for members of Congress. Given the 1995 Supreme Court decision and the unlikely instance that Congress passes a measure to limit its own power, I see an Article V convention of the states as the only way to achieve our goal of congressional term limits,” Sen. Burlison said. “We have individuals in Congress who were elected to their first term well over 40 years ago, making them a career politician in my eyes. I believe by establishing term limits, we will reduce the chance that one person holds excessive influence over public policy.”
Senate Concurrent Resolution 25 must be passed by the Senate Rules Committee before it is brought before the full Senate for consideration.
Please visit Sen. Burlison’s official Missouri Senate website for more information on his legislative agenda at senate.mo.gov/Burlison.